Matthew 18:18,22 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Look very carefully at the question asked and the question answered.

Now look at this question and answer.

Matthew 18:26-27 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Are they the same questions? Are they the same answers?

On the surface some might think they are the same questions with different answer but in truth they are different questions with the same answer.

Question 18, a rich man asks for an inheritance. Question 26 a poor man asks for salvation.

Answers to both questions, it is not within you to receive what you ask.

The reason why the answers are the same goes to heart condition. The rich man was not willing in his heart to give away all the wealth he had for an inheritance he could not see. The poor man had no place in his heart to give up the painful life he so desperately wanted to leave.

Inheritance and salvation are both the purview of God. We do not get to claim either one for ourselves. Both are grace gifts from God according to His plan for mankind. The receipt of the grace gifts are within our ability to accept, but we cannot define what those gifts look like or what they will do for us. That is according to God’s plan.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Praise God if He has taken pleasure in you.